Sting or Setup
by Lori Gale
Summary: Kate Beckett leaves behind the 12th and what would have been a perfect life with Richard Castle, to head for Washington DC and uncharted waters. Her assignment with Agent Rachel McCord is to gather Intel and subsequently setup a sting for one of Washington's most elite members of Congress. As she progresses, things are not what they seem. Is it a sting or setup?
1. Chapter 1

"Sting or Setup"

Chapter One

The cold steel end of the Sig Sauer pressed into the warmth of her temple. A bead of perspiration trailed down her forehead and parted evenly over the muzzle that held her attention. It became whole again after it flowed around the slick surface, gathered speed and ran down the length of her face until it dropped off of her clinched jaw and disappeared into the fabric of her starched white shirt collar. Another droplet followed as she waited for the inevitable.

It was just the two of them in this space. This warehouse of records and deeds that she knew would be tended to and tidied up after her death. So she wondered, what was taking him so long to pull that trigger? She knew he wanted to. She could feel the hatred in his breathing. But she could also sense the fear in his posture. He had never killed before. He was always removed from his dirty work. But not this time. He wanted her blood to fill his senses; he wanted to feel alive with her death. But he was hesitating. Why?

As his nerves were on edge; she was calm, and she took that moment to reflect on the man she had left behind three months ago to take this assignment. She thought of the father who had lost his wife to the violence of the man standing next to her. She thought of her regrets. She had many, and quietly within her heart, she made peace with them and the demons that drove her.

She felt his breath fan across her cheek as he leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "Who has the power, now?"

He pulled the gun from her temple and sharply struck her left cheek; the muzzle cutting a swift path, blood trickling and mixing with sweat in the white of her collar. Surprisingly, she barely flinched as she held his arrogant gaze and thought, _he shouldn't have stepped so close_.

If she was thankful for anything these past three months, it was the advanced training she received working with Rachel McCord and her team. Her reaction was swift and he didn't see it coming. Four pointed fingers struck right above his perfectly knotted tie. His gasps for air matched his stunned glare as his hands instinctively flew to his throat in an effort to aid his breathing.

First thing to go; the Sig Sauer. She slapped it from his weakened grip and kept striking like the threatened cobra she perceived herself to be until her prey succumbed. She flipped him unceremoniously onto his stomach and cuffed his hands behind his back. Then she whispered into his bloodied ear, "I have, asshole. Since the day you murdered my mother, the power has always been mine."

Five tiny purple sutures held together the wound Bracken symbolically bestowed upon Kate Beckett's cheek. The final thread that would bind them.

The last of her personal items were packed in her duffel, and with a quick jerk of the zipper, she closed perhaps the painful chapter of her life. She headed for the exit, and on her way out, she reflected how she got to this point.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: To all that have read and reviewed and all that other stuff; thank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Just having fun with them on this story!

Chapter Two

THREE MONTHS EARLIER

It had been a couple of days since Kate's team had closed the case involving the unfortunate circumstances of a son, Sean Tanner, killing his father, Dale, with a missile fired from a drone he had hijacked. It was also that case where she had her first encounter with Special Investigator Jared Stack.

She sat at the end of her sofa, sipping a glass of _Etude_ wine, reflecting upon the painting by Alex Gross that loomed so largely on her wall. In many ways the woman crossing the bridge could have been Kate, herself. The bombardment taking place around the subject as she made her way echoed the last fourteen, tumultuous years in Kate's life. Interspersed with moments of calm and carefree joy that had blown into her space, here and there; like the golden Gingko leaves in the painting.

A smile graced her lips and misty tears shone in her hazel eyes as she thought about those moments and the soul responsible for them. A soul that was, at the moment, working a fund raising event sponsored by his publishing house, Black Pawn. He had begged and cajoled her to attend, but she thought it best to sit this one out and let him have the spotlight to himself. She didn't want the meaning of the charity event to be lost in questions regarding their relationship. She wanted the focus to be about raising funds for a new Women's Center in lower east Manhattan. It was the second half of a fundraising campaign by Black Pawn to bring awareness to those less fortunate in Manhattan. The first being to fund libraries in the local school district. One that Castle was more than overjoyed to participate in.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Putting down the glass of wine, she made her way and peered through the peephole to see who was disturbing her stroll down memory lane. She recognized the delivery man from the florist around the corner. Opening the door to him, he smiled and offered her the simple arrangement.

"Card's attached. Enjoy." And just like that he was off and heading towards the stairs.

Kate smiled, shut and locked the door, then walked to the kitchen with her small and mysterious gift. Peeling back the floral paper she found a single pink and white lotus flower in a silver cubed vase; the card slid under one of the petals. She was admiring the flower as she slipped open the card. "Aw, Castle, you shouldn't have," she muttered to herself. Then a frown creased her brow as she read the card. "And, obviously you didn't."

She stared at the lotus and then read the card again, trying to make sense of why it was sent. The card read, "Take a cab 2 blocks from my house at 8; pay in cash; walk to my home. VG". A dumbstruck Kate checked her watch. She barely had time to catch the cab to the captain's home.

She paid the driver and existed exactly two blocks from Victoria Gates' residence. She had never been to the captain's home, but she had known the address from conversations with Evelyn Montgomery. It was a stately neighborhood with row houses on each side of the street for as far as the eye could see.

As dusk was settling this late spring evening, the vintage street lamps flickered on with every step Kate took towards her destination. It was if the electrical charge in her body was in sync with the lights, and when she stopped in front of the captain's house; the street came alive with a muted glow. It was unsettling, and if Castle was there, he would have been spouting some crazy theory about aliens under street or some such nonsense.

She shook the feeling, double checked the address and walked up the concrete steps to the double doors of the Anglo-Italianate Style home that housed her captain and her husband. It sat amongst several different types of period homes from the early eighteen hundreds. There were Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, English Neo-Classical and classic Federal Style homes lining the quiet neighborhood. Victoria's was one of the few Italianate styled homes in the area.

Its double doors had a round-arched door surround that made the front doors appear to be deep and sunken; almost hidden and foreboding. The doors set to the far left of the narrow home. Once past the surround, the doors were beautiful, with arched panels that were trimmed in leaf carvings.

Kate looked for a door bell and didn't find one. She rapped firmly on the door, hoping it would be loud enough to be answered. As she waited she stepped back and looked over the brownstone façade of the first floor. The second and third floors were wrapped in red brick, while the basement was limestone, like the wall in front of the residence. The basement had one window that was secured by an ornate iron grille.

As she started to look up at the rest of the house, the large door opened and there stood a man of impressive size; at least six-two and two hundred thirty. "Good evening, Detective Beckett," he welcomed. "I'm Victoria's husband, Harrison. The one she never talks about," he said with a sly smile and wink. "Please," he stepped aside and motioned for Kate to enter, "come in." His timber was rich and deep, and matched his smiling brown eyes.

"Vickie is waiting for you upstairs in our bedroom," he informed, leading the way through the vestibule and up the narrow staircase directly in front of the doors. He turned and noticed Kate staring at the built in shelves in the parlor, with their proudly displayed items; Victoria's Gemini Dolls. "Creepy, aren't they?" he affirmed.

Kate brought a hand up to hide her smirk, but it wasn't lost on Harrison.

"And if you tell her I said that, I will deny it, Detective."

Kate nodded her head as a promise to keep quiet. The staircase curved to the second story where Harrison directed Kate to the master bedroom at the back of the house. Before she entered the bedroom, she noticed the second staircase that led downstairs. Cool, she thought. Harrison's booming voice startled her back to reality.

"Vickie, company," he called as he headed down the back staircase.

Kate timidly entered the master bedroom. It took up the whole width of the house, minus the staircase leading downstairs. Having been in some of these row houses, Kate knew this bedroom was a combination of probably two original bedrooms. She also spied that it had an ensuite bathroom and the other side was where Victoria Gates was peeking out at her guest; probably the walk-in closet.

"Ah, Detective," Gates chirped. She motioned for Kate to join her. "I have a job for you."

Kate made her way to the closet, or better yet, closet and dressing room. The space was enormous. She followed her captain to the back where a shelf was lying against the wall.

Gates picked up the shelf and handed it to Kate. "Do you mind holding this up so I can mark where I want to hang it? I'm a little too short in the poop. Or so my mother always told me."

As with Harrison, Kate was finding herself having to stifle another smile at her captain's openness.

"Oh, I forgot my pencil. Just keep holding that, I will be right back. " Victoria walked away, leaving Kate holding the shelf in place.

Kate startled when she heard a mechanical hum and a subsequent slide and slam. Her heart held still and her hearing sharpened as she listened for her captain.

"You can put that down, Kate," Gates ordered.

Kate obeyed the order and turned to find her captain holding two glasses of red wine. "Join me, Kate," Gates nodded toward two elegant wing backed chairs with a small round table between them.

"Sir, the door?" Kate questioned.

"It's a panic room. As well as our closet and my dressing room," Gates explained as she got comfortable in one of the chairs. She put Kate's glass of wine on the table and slid it over toward the other chair; encouraging Beckett to sit.

Kate took the hint, removed her coat and sat down on the edge of the chair, waiting for the other shoe to drop. When Gates had shut the door, she also had dimmed the lighting. Kate was trying not to show her discomfort. Though Gates had thawed over the past year, Kate still wasn't sure where her boundaries were with this woman.

"Sir?" Kate began, but was quickly shut down by Gates.

"It's Vickie, Beckett," Gates corrected.

"Kate."

"Relax, Kate. Enjoy the wine. But more importantly, sit back in the chair."

Kate acquiesced on all points. The wine was delicious and helped her relax, and the chair was way too comfortable. She sank back and let the moments unfold.

Gates began, "Your presence has been requested for an assignment. An assignment that I have been read into. An assignment that is as much of a part of you as your own skin." Gates glanced over the rim of her glass at Kate's stiffening carriage. "That's right, Senator Bracken."

Kate put her glass down on the table between them and took in Victoria's solemn expression. "Sir, I, ah," she started and suddenly stopped, knowing she didn't have the words to defend her position.

"I understand, Kate. Women like us have a tendency to keep things too close to the vest for our own good. Harrison would be more than happy to agree with that point. I dare say it has caused some moments in our marriage that I'm not particularly proud of. But we worked through it.

"What I'm about to ask you to do has come down from the Attorney General of the US in DC. Ironically, he's an old friend of Harrison's. Ben Moss is spilling; in a big way. He's looking for a deal and Bracken is his only card to play. But Bracken hasn't gotten to where he is by being sloppy. So, proving Ben's claims will be hard. But so far, the AG's investigator on the case has found some credible evidence that shows Bracken has been, indeed, a very bad boy. Thru Moss the AG knows of your," she hesitates as she sips her wine, "mother's murder and he speculates that Bracken is involved. He has requested you to join the other investigator in sealing the deal in bringing down Bracken."

"How, exactly?"

"The AG has heard about your investigative skills through Special Investigator Jared Stack. You will have an interview with Assistant AG Anthony Freedman. He is suspect, to say the least. Not someone you will want or should trust. You will be hired and will be working with a team. But shortly after you arrive you will be reassigned to Special Investigator Rachel McCord. The AG trusts her specifically. You will work with her until you both gather enough evidence and put in place a sting to bring down Bracken. The information gathered from the bombing last year will need to be assembled. I take it you have it in a safe place for retrieval? "

Kate gives an affirmative nod, sipping some more wine, trying to fit her head around the conversation at hand.

"Getting you in is the easy part, Kate," Gates concedes. "Leaving behind your life here will be the hard part."

"Your implying no one can know; especially Castle?" It was really more of statement and not a question. Kate knew the answer. "I've already had a conversation with Stack. He asked me where I saw myself in five years. I really didn't think he meant much by it, just blowing smoke up my ass."

"Where do you see yourself in five years, Kate?" It was a simple question, but Gates added fuel to the fire. "Let's start with Castle."

"I don't know," she whispered with a hint of exasperation. "We have these wonderful, absolutely mind blowing moments, and then we have occasions where we are so out of sync that we, mostly me, fall back into bad habits. I get the feeling that he is afraid to move too fast for fear I might bolt. But I don't want to run. In five years I want a marriage and children. All with this man." She takes a moment and laughs at nothing in particular. "Look at me, spilling my guts to you. Definitely something I wouldn't have done a few years ago. But realizing you're in love, you risk your former self to find your better self. I'm trying to do that. What is the price that I'm going to have to pay for this assignment? I just can't leave him with a lie to do this. I just can't." She shakes her head emphatically.

"You won't have to," comes a voice from behind her. A voice she would know anywhere.

Kate narrows her gaze at a very pleased looking Gates. "So, two against one."

Richard Castle comes out from the shadows and kneels down in front of Kate Beckett. A smile of love and understanding on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Once again, to all that have reviewed, followed or made as a favorite; thank you.

This chapter; strike that. This STORY is dedicated to my long distance, internet friend, Purplangel! Suz, thank you for all your encouragement and teaching me how to post! Hugs!

Disclaimer: Nah, don't own any of Castle.

Chapter Three

As the key turned, the lock tumbled and granted Richard Castle entry into his loft. The only light was from the gas fireplace. The embers glowed and twinkled, while the fire beneath them danced with a flirtatious sway. Much like the apparition that had appeared from his office. As she made her way to him, the robe she wore billowed on soft air. Almost like Batman's cape, he thought. Oh, get that image out of your head, he chastised.

It didn't take long for her long legs to reach him. Her smile soft and with want as she greeted him. He stood perfectly still as she nearly sucked the life out of him through his lips. His hands came up and she stilled them as she gently guided him to the bedroom. She moved as gracefully backwards as she did forwards. Knowing exactly what path to take; never hesitating and keeping her hooded gaze upon him the whole time.

He quietly admired her as the long robe stilled and clung to every womanly curve she possessed. He couldn't stop smiling. He wasn't sure why; he only knew he was happy on so many levels, and most of them had to do with the vision before him.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "It's about time you got home. Fundraiser take longer?" she murmured as she gently undid and removed his bow tie. It barely made a whisper as it hit the floor. Next, she slid the tuxedo jacket off his board shoulders, letting it trail down his arms until it fell behind him. The cummerbund followed and she tossed it over her shoulder.

Castle's eyebrows raised and his mouth formed to a perfect "o" as he watched it nearly miss a lighted candle.

"Problem, Castle?" Kate asked as she started to pop the studs of his dress shirt, peppering feather light kisses on his neck and chest.

"Uh," he stammered, "cummerbund almost went up in flames."

"Well, then, I guess I'll just have to let everything else puddle around your feet. Kind of like your emotions."

He didn't know what to say as she seared his lips with her own, all the while pushing aside his shirt and letting it partner with the jacket on the floor.

She ended the kiss with a pop and studied his darkened gaze. Then she gave a quick giggle. "You're speechless. That's good." Her hands cupped his growing need through the fabric of his dress pants and she made quick work of the belt, button and zipper, as she tugged both pants and boxers down his muscular legs. "Toe those shoes off," she ordered.

He quickly complied and stepped out of the pants. He started to remove the robe and she gave a shake of the head and whispered, "Not yet." Turning him around, she eased him along on the turned down bed. As he scooted up toward the headboard, she deftly removed his socks and threw them behind her. "You know how I feel about socks in the bed."

"Yes, well sometimes there's just not enough time to get them off," he defended as he watched her stalk her way up to him between his legs. She settled, letting the robe come to rest over his shins. The softness tickling the fine hairs on his legs. He was quiet once again in anticipation as to what was coming next.

To add to his already heightened state of arousal, she let her nails trip lightly over his thighs until she was at the crease of hips. She smiled and slowly licked her lips. The lip gloss sparkling that much more after her tongue's quick strike.

"Kate." Her name was more of a plea than a statement tumbling from his lips.

"Ssh," she quietly responded. "No words."

She leaned forward and took his sack, giving it a little squeeze as she lowered her head. An involuntary bob of his penis clipped her chin before she had made her final descent. She slid her hand up and captured the unruly shaft, skimming her thumb through the pre-cum and gently spreading it over the head. A moan hissed from behind his pursed lips as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the slightly rough texture of her thumbprint over his extremely sensitive tip.

It wasn't a second later, her mouth was replacing her thumb. Her tongue flattened out and laved over the velvety skin; from top to bottom. She suckled the prominent vein on the bottom of the shaft. She continued down his scrotum and then found the soft flesh between his sack and anus. She buried her tongue into the spongy tissue, flicking and sucking to the stroking rhythm she was applying to his length.

His hips were finding a rhythm his breathing couldn't match, and his legs had become tense and rigid. She knew he was close as she made her way back up to his tip.

"Kaaatttee," he dragged out as the candle lit room flashed and bled white light behind his closed eyes.

"Ssshh," she blew over his tip and suddenly she took him all in and let him ride out his orgasm in the warm, moist confines of her mouth. She held his hips down to control the tremors he was feeling as he crashed and burned to the sweet explosion of love brought on by this extraordinary woman.

She swallowed every drop of his love and kiss-crawled her way to his mouth and shared a little with him. He flipped and ravaged her mouth, tasting that love, and when he pulled back, he saw it as well in the witch hazel of her eyes.

"Your turn," he whispered into her neck.

"Not yet," she remarked, almost laughing at his shocked expression. "I have champagne and strawberries in the fridge. Besides, you need to recover. It's going to be a long night." She nudged him aside and slipped out of the bed and made her way to the kitchen.

When she returned, she was carrying a tray with two glasses of champagne and a plate with chocolate covered strawberries. She also noticed Castle had rearranged the pillows and sheets to make for a more comfortable experience while eating and drinking in bed.

She offered the tray, and he took the champagne glasses then she put the tray on the nightstand. She got comfortable in the bed and he handed her a glass, while she collected the plate with the strawberries. Placing it between them, she took one and presented it to him. He took a bite and let the chocolate melt as it mixed with the berry. It was almost as sweet as Kate.

"You have something on your mind," he noted. "Want to tell me?"

"Are we doing the right thing, Castle? Are you sure you want to be a part of this?"

"We're partners. Nothing more needs to be said. We, you, have an opportunity to put Bracken down, once and for all. Sure," he hesitated, "the separation is going to be hard. Pretending to be broken up and not a couple is going to be real hard. I'm not really very good at pretending. You of all people know that, but if this is what I have to do to help you accomplish this assignment, I'm all in," he reassured, grabbing a strawberry and placing against the pout of her lips. "But, I can't say I'm not going to miss us, and this."

She took it in to the stem, nipped it off and eat it heartily; juice running down her chin. She tipped her head back, the nectar trailing down the creaminess of her neck. Castle didn't waste any time stemming the trickle. He retraced its path and captured her mouth, tasting the sweet of the chocolate and the tang of the champagne. Their tongues wanted to dominate, to soothe, to revel in each other's want.

It wasn't long before Castle had the bed void of strawberries, champagne and a fully clothed Beckett. Like his tuxedo, her silk robe and teddy lay in a heap next to the bed and Kate quivering mess beneath Castle.

He had her pinned with his weight. He took his old sweet time sinking his fingers through her tresses, kissing that special spot just below her collarbone and watching as the goose bumps raced down her skin. She tried in vain to keep him from doing it again, but he wouldn't let her have her way.

Finally, and much to her relief, he moved on to something less ticklish, but not anything less arousing. As always, he planted a reverent kiss on the scar near her left breast, thanking God for small miracles. Then he let her breasts fill his palms and ever so gently he simultaneously stroked the nipples, coaxing them to rosy peaks. He claimed the left with the softness of a downy kiss and suckled ever so lovingly. All the while, barely tweaking its mate. Then he reversed the process while keeping Kate's lower half stilled with his weight.

"Oh, God, Castle," was all she could manage as she watched and stroked his thick hair; occasionally pulling it when his mouth became too much on her sensitive nipples.

With that last tug, he started his slow descent down her well-toned torso; kissing and caressing until he was settled between the "v" of her never ending legs. Tenderly he draped them over his shoulders, kissing them at the crease of her hips. He nuzzled through her soft curls and placed barely-there kisses at the apex of her sex. Inhaling deeply, he committed to memory the smell of her want, and ran a pointed finger through her swollen folds; dragging with it a deep throated moan from Kate.

Instinctively she undulated her hips up to his waiting lips. He smiled and pushed them back down onto the bed. He firmly held them there with his forearm.

"Rick," she pleaded. "What are you doing?" she asked as she stared at him through hazy slits.

"I want you to lie completely still. Let me do all the work. Let me take you to that promise land. Lie still," he commanded. "Can you do that?"

Her look was now on the verge of irritation. So was her tone. "Yes," she managed.

"This is going to be so great, Kate," he grinned into the dark triangle of hair that led to his promise land.

"Castle, I'm thinking of our song."

"What's that?"

"The one by Clarence Carter."

"I'll stop talking now."

And as promised, he stopped talking and concentrated on the most important thing in the room; her pleasure. He parted her slick folds and admired the sight of her sex; how it glistened and taunted him to indulge. He did; tracing the edges from stem to stern. Encouraged by her mewling sounds of carnal want, he sought and found the honey with one probing finger. He barely entered and started a rhythmic rub with his finger; up and down; back and forth. He kept it up while his tongue managed the same rhythm on her most sensitive of flesh. His hooded gaze traveled up her body, and when he saw the flash of red on her neck and chest, and felt the length of her legs go stiff, he knew she was almost home. That's when he pushed a second finger in and her breath hitched when he suddenly started sucking her nub. He felt her hips stop and then he let them go as she reached the apex of her orgasm. He eased back on the stroking and let his tongue quietly lave over her clit as he felt the contractions of her release. A smile creased the line of his lips as he eased her down.

Her throat bobbed with relief and her eyes opened to see his cocky grin. The one she loved so much. She smiled back and he climbed up her thrumming body to crash land on those lips. She tasted herself, just as he had earlier, and reveled in the scent of their lovemaking.

He wasted no time in finding his home, as he entered and slowly pushed past the pubic bone, watching as Kate's jaw clinched in wanton recognition. He stopped, and tears shone in his azure blue eyes as he stared down at her. "I have only one thing to say," he quietly said, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice, "I love you so very, very much."

"I love you more."

"That's not possible."

"Show me," was all she said.

It was enough. He started with a slow pace, and before they knew it, he had taken them to a world neither knew existed until this evening.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Ah, like a bad penny, I have shown up, and with a new chapter! Thank you to all that have read, reviewed, liked, etc.! Means the world!

Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of these delightful characters.

Chapter Four

They were driving back from the crime scene where a young woman was found in a water tank. There was enough strained silence in the cruiser to fill infinity. Castle sensed her natural withdrawal and quickly gave her hand a squeeze. A tiny upturn of her lips, her only response.

Unlike her mother's murder, she's had full knowledge of the scenario she was playing out with Castle. The pretend demise of their relationship. Though it was only make believe, and she and Castle were willing participants, she knew there would be collateral damage; Lanie, Espo, Ryan, Alexis, Martha, and of course, her father. A sick pall washed over her and it earned her another squeeze of her hand from Castle. This time tears replaced the small smile. She remembered back to that morning.

_The interview was as sterile as the surroundings of Freedman's office. The only colorful thing was the seal of the Department of Justice behind his desk. His big, stuffy head getting in the way, obscuring the best parts. For the most part, the interview was text book. A few talking points about her past cases, expectations of their department, and finally she was given a scenario in which she was to take Freedman through an investigation of a case. When she finished, he closed her file and thanked her for taking the time to come to DC._

_ Boarding the elevator, she undid the top button of her incredibly white, starched shirt; thinking that could have gone better. Maybe deep done, she didn't want this assignment. The pretense was already taking a toll. _

_ She shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind as she hailed a taxi to the airport and a plane ride home. Home. It made her smile. _

"Castle?" Kate called out to his back in his office.

He wheeled around and put a finger to his lips in a shush kind of way; while wielding the latest in eavesdropping detection equipment.

Kate's lips formed an "o" and she raised curious eyebrows as he swept the rest of his office, then proceeded into their bedroom. She went to the living room and plopped down on the sofa and patiently waited for him to finish his "sweep" of the loft.

With his fancy equipment stored; he sank down next to her and pulled into his lap. He buried his nose deep into her chestnut tresses and sighed when he drank in her familiar cherry scent. "Um, you always smell so good," he slurred into her neck.

"I'm going to miss this," she murmured back and turned to face the pout of the century. "Oh, come on, Castle. Please don't make this any harder by giving me that look."

"Well, it's certainly better than the look you give me lots of times."

She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow at his comment.

"That look," he defended with a smirk.

"I know you love trying out new gadgets, but do you feel it is necessary to sweep the loft every night, Castle?"

"Yes. We can't trust anyone at this point."

"I know. It's just." She hesitated as she looked into the cerulean blue of his eyes. "It's just, I finally have a grasp on this thing called trust since I was nineteen, and I suddenly have to abandon everything I have learned and gained through being with you. I don't like my old self, and I don't want to fall back into habits that aren't healthy; especially where you're concerned."

For that moment he was speechless. All he could do was look back and see the reflection of what he had felt for the past four years. He saw the sincerity in her eyes and felt the warmth of her love and heard her declaration of trust and loyalty through her silence. He now understood what it was like to be Kate Beckett and her to be Richard Castle.

She lowered her head into his neck and shoulder and closed her eyes; quietly absorbing his strength, letting it fuse with her resolve. Together they would get through this.

**Oh, God, Lanie!** It was the desperate text she sent Lanie after Castle left her apartment. The charade was on and she was feeling horrible with every keystroke to her unassuming best friend. She had laid the ground work in the early hours that morning, explaining to Lanie the opportunity in DC and her reservations about how Castle was going to take the news.

**I'll be there in 20.** The reply came back from Lanie.

Kate opened the door to a pair of the saddest brown eyes, ever. She stepped aside and let Lanie have entrance into her apartment. The air felt heavy as wine puddled in Riedel Sommeliers wine glasses; a gift from Castle for their six month anniversary. As, too, was the wine; a 2007 Opus One.

"Damn, girl. You're breaking out the good stuff. Must be really bad this time." Lanie took her glass and studied the tense features of her friend. "Spill it."

"I went for the interview and during preparation for dinner, he found my boarding pass. Let's just say it wasn't pretty from that point forward."

"Am I understanding that you didn't tell him about the interview?"

"No, I didn't." Lanie leveled her with her own kind of look. "I didn't because he has a tendency to have knee jerk reactions," she defended. "You saw how he was with Eric Vaughn. He practically oozed green."

"And your track record?"

"I know. It's not good. But I have tried to have conversations with him." She recalls the night after the Vaughn case and shakes her head at the memory of it all. "He deflects. Even Meredith said that he can know so much about you, but that he hardly reveals anything of himself. He holds his cards very close to his vest. And on some level that is just as bad as any wall. I'm afraid he thinks that if he pushes too hard, I'll run. I can promise I won't. My four inch heels are metaphorically dug in. Almost to the point of tipping backwards. I know we love each other and that we are the other's one and done. He's gotten past my wall. Now, I guess it's my turn to encourage him to lay his cards on the table. And whatever cards are dealt, we deal with them."

"And the job?"

"It's a good opportunity. I know people will think that suddenly working for the feds is a sell out or a compromise from previous statements and stances. But you really don't know what is available or what you are dealing with until you're shown up close and personal. I can appreciate what this department does and it would allow for more professional growth. It's not that I'm unhappy at the 12th, I just want to see if I have more in me. Is that wrong to want more professionally?"

"No. It's never wrong to want growth, and if you see potential, you should have the opportunity to see if it's a good fit for you. But don't pick the scissors up and start running without considering everything you have here. If you choose this, consider what you might be leaving behind. I know the boys would be happy for you; you're their friend. You want good things for your friends. I don't see a problem with them. But, Castle; he'd be left behind. Sure, he could move anywhere and write. But a lot of his daily existence is tied to you through your job, being your partner. Not going to happen in DC. How do you move a relationship forward when so much of it has been based on a working partnership?"

"And there is the rub. Is there a partnership outside of work?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Chapter Five is up children! Let me know what you think. This takes place after Kate's chat with her father and before her interrogation with the suspect. Next chapter will be a little rough, then onto the assignment.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter Five

Sweat slicked bodies barely took a moment to come down from their intimate high before they were starting again. It was in contrast to their earlier need; to have each other with reckless abandoned. It was now replaced with measured kisses and caresses. And of wishful thinking for time to stand still.

Kate heeded that thought and separated herself from Rick's embrace. A tiny furrow chased his brow as he watched her pull the sheet up over their bodies and remain on her side of the bed. He followed her lead and settled into the softness of her pillows; staring at her, prompting her to reveal what was on her mind.

"It's time," she quietly announced.

"Kate, no," he pleaded with a whisper.

"Look, Rick," she hesitated, searching for the right words. "Before we start this full blown assignment, I want to speak…to share with you," she corrected, "What is in my heart. How I feel about you. What you mean to me."

He started to speak and she pressed a loving finger to his lips and he stopped; placing a kiss on the ridge line of her fingerprint. He held his breath and for a moment time did stand still.

"You were right." He brightened at her comment and she rolled her eyes for effect before she continued. "I did fall for you from the first moment I met you. Albeit at your book signing, eons ago. But, yes, I did fall, and then you somehow insinuated yourself into my professional life. And I told myself to beware; nothing good could come from a man of such easy charm and ruggedly handsome looks. So that wall that I had in place since my mother's passing, was fortified. The fantasy you was easy. You could come and go in my head, and sometimes in my dreams, but the real you was daunting. Persistent. I had read of your conquests; and I'd be damned if I was going to be one at the end of a long list."

"Kate," he soothed.

"You became so real so quickly. I don't know the exact moment, I just know you were true. And you were right, I hid in those relationships with men I didn't love, because hiding from something as real as you terrified me. I've never been in love before, Rick. I've always been a self-sufficient woman. I've never felt the need to share my independence with a man. Not until you.

"And with all this love and light you share with me, I still want to hold back." She struggles to understand why she has this tendency and tears prick her eyes as she remembers past fights and moments of underhandedness on her part. "And it is horribly unfair to you. I am so sorry for that and those times that I hurt you because of my immaturity or my selfishness. It isn't your fault I have self-doubt.

"I would imagine some of that comes from watching my father fall apart at losing the perfect match to his soul. He would have done that even if she had died of natural causes. They were linked that deeply. It scares me to rely upon someone that much. And I find that with every passing day, you and I are becoming so linked."

This is a glimpse behind the rubble of her wall. For so long he has wanted and he has waited to see what her heart held; and now he knows. He is reverent in his love for her and it is reflected back to him in the hazel of her eyes, the softness of her touch and the openness of her words.

"Rick, my promise to you from this day forward is, I put you first. And if I backslide, you have my permission to metaphorically head slap me back into shape. But with this, I have an expectation of you, too."

He waited for that shoe to drop. His expression obviously betraying his thoughts. She doesn't miss him schooling his features.

"Castle," she gently eases into her explanation. "I know there is so much more you feel; good and bad. It is a two way street, and for the sake of better communications between the both of us; I want you to lose the poker face, lay your cards on the table and always tell me how and what you are feeling. If you're hurt, tell me. If you're mad, tell me. If you're over the moon, tell me. We're New Yorkers for God's sake," she added for good measure.

The last line provided the levity he sought to reply to her request. "I can do that. I do hold back because I've been afraid of pushing too hard. Of wanting too much too soon. I've had two marriages and I don't want to be a three time loser."

"You're not a loser because your marriages didn't work out. Relationships are a two way street, Rick. Your former wives were just as culpable as you in either making it work or not. You led with your heart and believed at the time those relationships were what you wanted and needed. You've taught me that leading with your heart is a good thing. Thank you for opening that door and shoving me through it. I'm willing to shut that door, leave my baggage on the other side and continue forward with my heart leading the way straight to you. If you'll have me?"

"Why Katherine Houghton Beckett, did you just ask me to marry you?"

"In a roundabout way," she replied with a hint of pink in her cheeks. "So, Richard Edgar Castle, will you do me the honor and become my husband?"

He simply answered, "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello! Life has been so much fun lately; I haven't written a thing! Not that life isn't still fun, but I thought it was time to update this little story. Thank you for reading and reviewing! ~LG~

Disclaimer: Do not own any part of these wonderful characters.

Chapter Six

The case was closed; the white board was erased and the pictures and evidence were filed away in a card board box, identified only by a name and a case number. As Beckett was walking to the elevator, she paused and looked back at her life in the bullpen. She recalled the glimpses of triumph, and hours of despair. Countless moments of camaraderie with fellow officers, friends and a certain annoying writer. It made her smile as she entered the elevator and the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

Solemn faces stared back at her as she explained her new position with the task force. When she finished, the strained silence felt like the ceiling and floor pressing together, with her in the middle, and nowhere to escape. Lanie's crushed expression; Ryan's mocked confusion and Esposito's pinched brow told her without words, their disapproval of her choice.

"Look, guys," she started to defend in an uneasy tone, "I know that I've never expressed wanting to do something on a federal level. To the contrary, I griped, bitched and complained whenever we had to share jurisdiction on cases. But, until I was told the impact this position afforded me," she stopped and saw her words had little effect on their expressions, and whatever was poised to come out of her mouth, died in her throat. She swallowed hard, pushing the words deep into the pit of her stomach.

"And what about Castle?" Esposito piped up. His words and tone as rigid as his posture.

Kate rose from her chair and pointed to the bar, "I'll get us another round."

Willing her feet to set a course for the walnut bar and relief from the stifling question, Kate leaned against the sturdy structure and ordered another round of drinks. She worried her eyebrow with her fingertips as she recalled Espo's question regarding Castle. Then she thought back to the park earlier that afternoon.

_It was their park; their swings; their own little corner of the world where it always seemed that heartfelt moments and reflections occurred. Either alone or together. This afternoon he was waiting; solemnly._

_ This was the beginning of a painful process that she knew to only be temporary; but it still hurt. He was putting on the best front he knew how. But his board shoulders betrayed the anguish inside. He barely gave her a side long glance when she arrived._

_ She started the ruse with an apology she truly felt for all the times she had been less than honest and candid with him. And then he took over, explaining how he perceived her, and that they both deserved more and how he wanted more. He was obviously going off script and worrying crept into her features as got onto bended knee, and using her full name, proposed._

_ Stunned, she raised from the swing and whispered, "Castle?"_

_ Still clutching the ring, he looked up, pleading for more than his name to fall from her lips. But nothing came out and he slowly rose; his eyes never leaving hers._

_ "This isn't what we talked about," she said in a hushed, barely controlled tone._

_ "I know," he agreed. "But I don't care what we talked about, and I know we are only pretending for this assignment, but I can't just turn it on and off. I can't."_

_ She took a shaky hand and ruffled it through her hair, hoping it would give her time to recover from his declaration. She wrapped her small hands around his holding the ring and with stinging tears in her eyes, she shook her head no. "Not like this," she managed in a strangled voice, barely above a murmur._

_ He grabbed her and held her close as he spoke into her ear, "Is that your pretend answer or your real answer?"_

_ He felt the air rush out of her lungs at his question. He knew the answer and let her go._

_ "Both," she managed, and backed away, putting a metaphoric wall between them._

_ Shiny tears rimmed his eyes and threatened to fall as he looked to her face for any sign of hope. They fell when she turned and walked back to her car._

"Miss?" Beckett came back to reality when the bartender presented her tray of drinks to her.

"Thank you," she absentmindedly replied as she took the tray and headed back over to the table and god knows what kind of mood. It was still somber.

"Javi, about Castle," she stilled her features, hoping the tears would stay at bay. "We've agreed to take a break. I'm not sure if Gates will let him stay at the 12th. He's really great at consulting, and I'm sure if you were to talk with her about his contributions, she might consider letting him stay on."

"So, we're just suppose to pick up the pieces of your mess?" he asked, fully expecting a shin kick from Lanie. None occurred.

Kate's back stiffened and Lanie saw a flash in the autumn of her eyes. She steeled herself for what was coming.

"You know," she motioned between Esposito and Ryan, "if it were either one of you, I would be happy for you. Getting an opportunity to move on professionally, I would be happy and I would wish you well. That's what friends do. Especially friends who think of each other as family. I guess I was wrong about you both. Some detective I am. Or was."

She threw a few bills on the table to pay for the drinks, and as she was turning to leave; Castle entered the bar. His glare met her stare and stopped her short in her tracks.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Wow! 2 chapters in a week! Thank you, once again, to those that consistently review this story. You are awesome!

Disclaimer: Still do not own any of these characters

Chapter Seven

His steps were deliberate. Scary, really. And he reached her in no time. His furrowed brow like his steps. He stood before her and leveled her with a hard gaze; pinning her. Daring her to run. When he spoke, his tone was like his steps. He pulled the infamous ring from his pants pocket and shoved it under her nose. She jerked back at the sight of their upheaval.

"I didn't waste five years of my time, energy and effort on you to have you shake your head no and walk away," he bit out, closing the distance between them until they were toe to toe.

She didn't blanch at his intrusion. She shucked her shoulders back and squared her jaw to his comment. "Not here," she said through clenched teeth, doing her best ventriloquist act, as the thin line of her lips didn't move.

He snatched up her left hand and shoved the ring onto the proper finger and then dropped it like she had burned him. In so many ways, she had.

"Have a nice life, Kate."

He turned on heel and made his way through the excruciating silence of the bar, leaving in his wake a thoroughly stunned and embarrassed Katherine Houghton Beckett.

Two bodies brushed past her in their attempt to catch up with Castle.

"Yo, Castle. Man. Hold up, bro," Espo chimed after Castle, with Ryan on his heels. Neither man gave her a backwards glance as they went after their friend.

Lanie came along side of Kate and looked upon the shocked and dazed features of her friend. The only comfort she gave her was a pitiful shake of the head before she followed after the boys and Castle.

Kate had left the bar some six hours earlier. She had walked, then taken the subway to various spots of the city, then walked some more, and then finally, she had grabbed a cab to her final destination; The Old Haunt.

She found the key to the front door of the former speak easy; inserted it and gained entry. The tumble of the lock propelled her forward, and she nearly sprung the door off its hinges. She slammed it shut for good measure and locked it; ensuring she had the privacy she needed.

Dim lights behind the massive oak bar shone quietly like gossamer sentries. She could only guess Castle would be here in the privacy of his office downstairs. It was a favorite haunt of his whenever they had a disagreement. And tonight, she was beyond disagreeable; she was downright seething over his behavior and his lack of being able to follow the simplest of instructions.

She stabbed the button that opened up the passageway to the office and made her decent into what; she had no idea. She had no clue what his mood was, but she clearly understood her own. And with that knowledge, she stopped and took a cleansing breath; expelling it and her vile temperament at Castle's actions. She didn't want their last night to be full of angry words, but rather love for each other. She hit the switch on the wall and closed the passageway to the outside world and descended down the steep steps to where he was.

She found him sitting behind the massive oak desk; a bottle of Lugavalin Single Malt 16 Scotch Whiskey. It was more than half empty. As she approached, Castle poured the rich bronze liquid neatly into a squat tumbler and shoved it across the desk toward her. She accepted and gave a mock salute to her host. The full bodied texture burned down her throat, leaving a smoky finish in its wake. Finishing the drink, she placed the glass on the desk. A plink drew Castle's attention away from his pour; the ring was resting at the bottom of Kate's glass. Much like his heart.

"Apparently you didn't mean what you said, or asked earlier," he stated with a slight slur and sneer.

"To the contrary, I meant it all and more. You are my one and done, Rick. But right now, we have roles to play in order to complete the assignment. And this," she shoved the glass toward him, "this isn't part of the game plan."

"Humph," he snorted. "It probably never will be." He slammed his drink back and took the whole shot of the amber liquor down his throat.

She was quickly growing tired of his pity party. She didn't want to lose her patience with him; she wanted to understand his need for wanting to present her with a happily-ever-after at this time.

"You know," he began, giving an exaggerated wave. "I have given everything I have to us in hopes we would spend the rest of our lives together in a marriage we both wanted. What we both hoped for." He looked at her passive expression. "I guess I'm the only one…wh.."

"Will you stop it!" she loudly interrupted. "What is it with you?" She grabbed the tumbler and dumped the ring out. Picking it up, she shook it at him while she ranted. "We had a plan, Rick, and it didn't involve a shiny, platinum band with sparklies! It was supposed to be a pretend, public breakup. Not this." She slammed the ring onto the desk.

She came around the desk and hit a button under its lip. The bookshelf that had led to the incredible stash of St. Miriam Scotch Whiskey, slid open. A puff of air escaped the chambered walls. Castle had installed a mechanical slid for the bookshelf, so that entry into his favorite hideaway could be easily accessed.

Kate was headed for the some peace and quiet. "I need some air," she said to no one in particular.

She was well into the hidden passages and then into the room where they had found the large collection of St. Miriam's by the time Castle had caught up. From the time he had purchased The Old Haunt, he had made several improvements to the lower level. He had installed all new, and up to code, lighting. The concrete floors had been polished to a high sheen and stained, bringing out the exposed aggregate. The bare brick walls had been cleaned and tuck pointed where necessary; giving the space the authentic feel of prohibition. Where Donny had kept the St. Miriam Scotch Whiskey had become a private game room for Castle and his most treasured friends; Ryan and Espo among them.

Kate was bracing herself with both arms on one of the poker tables, trying to calm her mind when she felt the heat of Castle behind her.

"I just wanted you to have something to remember my commitment to you, that's all," he quietly defended.

She turned into his warmth and wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking her head under his chin. "I do. I have your heart and you have mine. Nothing is going to change that." She could feel him slump into her with quiet desperation. "Castle, listen to me. Finishing this assignment will allow us to love freely. No more looking over our shoulders wondering if he's going to break our deal." She leaned back and looked into his sad eyes. "We'll have our forever," she finished.

Sadness was quickly replaced by want. The blue in his eyes darkened to molten steel as he roughly pulled her to him, seeking her mouth and showing her his contempt for her assignment.

She gave as good as she got, tugging and pulling his hair, his ears, taming his disapproval. Shoving it down every time it rose its angry head. Chairs fell over, tables screeched against the concrete flooring, and clothes met in heaps around tangled legs.

Hungry lips never parted and tongues only danced and dueled; words were never spoken. They were replaced with pitches of sated moans and frantic breaths. All it took was for Castle to slightly hitch her waist, and her long legs encircled his hips, and he wasted no time in taking her. Seeking leverage, he pushed her up against the brick in the archway separating the playroom from the main passageway. Kate's breath caught at the roughened surface pressing and biting into the soft flesh above her ass. And as Rick moved in and out of her, his cadence matched the rhythmic sound of the water as it lapped the metal grate of the sewage trap nearby.

Kate was caught between the throws of ecstasy and the painful, unyielding wall when suddenly her breath stopped, and the bright white light exploded behind her closed eyes. She knew at that instant they were one in the same, and a moment later, Castle realized it, too. Love would never be the same for her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and silently carried her back to the office and placed her on the oversized leather couch. He admired her beauty before covering it with a soft woolen blanket. He disappeared back into the passageway and when he returned, he had their clothes neatly folded and he placed them on the recliner. A few switches later; the bookshelf was back in place and the dim glow of a stained glass nightlight was all that illuminated the cavernous office. Castle climbed in beside her and gently pulled her into his arms.

"Earlier, you said 'forever'. Not always?" he asked into the crown of her head.

"That, too," she replied with a tiny smile.

He smiled back for the first time in what seemed like forever.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: To those that have faithfully read, reviewed, etc., I apologize for the lengthy time between updates. Life really does get in the way! But in a good way!

Disclaimer: Still, after all of these weeks, don't own anything Castle related.

Chapter Eight

The hot, pulsating water from the shower had done nothing to alleviate the soreness of the rapidly forming bruises from her training sessions with members of her special investigative unit with the AG. She had arrived at the FBI Academy to take her training with new members of the task force just two weeks ago. On the rare occasion that her immediate supervisor, Special Investigator Rachel McCord would join her for workouts, Kate was usually sparring with the men; and giving as good as she got.

Today was no exception and she was sure the team member she had encountered today was taking quite the ribbing in the men's locker room. Something Kate was quite proud of. When she had arrived and her fighting skills were okay, but not outstanding. In the two weeks, she had learned the subtleties necessary to bring down a suspect of considerable size. She had learned how to strip a weapon away from a suspect; much like Thomas Gage had done to her, and then render them defenseless. She had learned about close combat tactics; lethal and nonlethal maneuvers.

This session today was designed to prepare the team to go across Hoover Road to Hogan's Alley for an exercise in the next few days. Hogan's Alley came about after two FBI agents were killed in a Miami shoot out. It replicates a small town and is populated with actors for the purpose of training on and off the streets. Agents practice particular scenarios that they've learned in the classroom. In the next few days, Kate and her team will be given a situation and will be judged by the outcome.

Stepping out of the shower, Beckett made her way back to her locker and toweled off. She examined the bruises with nothing on but the lights. She winced when she pushed on a forming welt.

Rachel McCord turned when she heard the hiss escape from Beckett's lips. She noticed just at the base of Kate's spine a red mark with healing signs of abrasions. She smiled and turned back to her locker. "Instead of a shower, try one cup of baking soda and one cup of Epsom Salts in a tub of water tonight. It will temper the bruising and help with the sore muscles. It also helps with abrasions on the tailbone," she added for good measure.

A knowing smile graced Kate's lips as she recalled just how she came about those abrasions. "Yeah, well, better my ass, than his knees," she commented.

"Isn't that the truth," McCord noted. "See you in behavioral science class after lunch."

Kate gave an affirmative nod to the retreating figure of Rachel McCord. She watched the graceful gate of her superior; noting that her posture held a hint of reluctance. Kate knew right away that Rachel McCord had issues.

During the month that Kate attended the training in Quantico, she learned the federal aspects of law enforcement; more about white collar crime, behavior, the intricacies of computers, enhanced interviewing skills, firing and breaking down a multitude of weapons, physical training and defense, and finally a test in Hogan's Alley to solidify her position on the task force. She passed.

Her final night at Quantico was spent in a tub with baking soda and Epsom Salts, a glass of sparkling water and Richard Castle's first book, "In A Hail Of Bullets", in which David McAllister was a rookie NYPD detective. Oh, how she longed for the good old days. While she was reticent, she was focused about her upcoming assignment. She knew that to have her forever with Richard Castle, one man was going to have to fall; and fall hard.

The morning sun streaked through the flimsy curtains of her apartment in Falls Church, Virginia, and the incessant knocking at her door drew her out of the sleepy fog she was under. She had just fallen asleep only hours before after being on what had to be the most boring of stake outs. Stumbling from her bed, she found her robe and pushed her arms through uncooperative sleeves before tying it off at the waist. She leaned into the door and looked out the peep hole at the person causing her early morning consternation. "Alexis?" she yelped, sounding just like Castle when he saw his daughter and her revealing costume at the sci-fi convention.

It had been quite some time since she had seen Castle's daughter. And by the look in Alexis' eyes, this wasn't a social visit. She eased the door open to the redheaded fury on the other side.

Without an invitation, Little Castle pushed by Beckett and stood in the middle of the living room, waiting for Kate to close the door and face her. It seemed like an eternity, but it happened, and when it did, Alexis unleashed her pent up anger at the now fully awake Beckett.

"You miserable piece of an excuse for a woman!" She bit out. "I leave, what I thought was a happy father with whom I knew to be in a what he thought, we all thought, was a loving relationship with you, and what do I come home to; another one of your messes!"

"Alexis," Kate starts and moves towards the eye of the storm.

"Shut up!" Alexis orders, her hands clenching at her sides.

Kate took note and stopped in her tracks, waiting for the next tsunami to rush through.

"How could you?" Alexis asked, and then put a silencing finger up between them. "No, you don't get to explain or excuse yourself from this crap of chaos you have left behind in your wake. He loves you so much. Why? I don't know, but he does. This is the farthest I have seen him fall, and it's, once again, because of you. To reject him in front of his friends, his colleagues, and those who work for him at The Old Haunt, is beyond any reasonable comprehension. Your selfishness and self-centeredness has reached a new low, or maybe a new high, Kate! You've sucked the life out of him. He's half the man he was before he met you. He's a faux eunuch because of you!"

That was the last straw for Kate, she moved forward and planted a firm finger into the sternum of her accuser and shoved her down onto the sofa. As Alexis moved to get up, Kate gave a stern look to sit still. Marching into the bedroom, she got dressed, brushed her hair and teeth and then made her way back into the living room to find Alexis exactly where she had left her.

Grabbing her jacket and keys, Beckett opened the door and motioned with her head for Alexis to follow. Reluctantly, she did. The silence was stony as they made their way downstairs and out into the sunny morning.

Alexis came to a standstill and asked, "Where are we going?"

"For coffee," Beckett called over her shoulder, her long legs extending her lead over Alexis.

It wasn't long before Alexis caught up and before she could say anything, Kate, waved her off and stepped inside her favorite coffee shop. With coffee's in hand, Beckett shoved one at Alexis and then proceeded out the door.

As she walked toward the cemetery, Alexis grabbed Kate's hand and whispered in her ear. "I know."

Kate just kept walking until she was deep into the cemetery and there wasn't another soul in sight. But still, she kept her voice to a low minimum. "So, you were pretending to be mad at me in the apartment for appearances?"

Alexis nodded and sipped her coffee. It was just the way she liked it; a tiny smile of thanks made its way to Kate's eyes, and relief stared back at her.

"Your father told you?" Another nod. "Who else knows?"

"Just me and Grams. But, he checked the house with his magic wand thingy and said it was okay for us to talk. I just missed you and wanted to see you. He misses you, too. He's hoping you might have a message for him?"

"Oh, I have a message for him, alright." Kate was seething and not doing a very good job of hiding it from Alexis. "Look, I know you know this isn't a game; that it is very dangerous," she started and then stopped when she saw the worry and hurt in Alexis' eyes. "I miss you, too. More than you know," she admitted, pulling Alexis in for a long overdue hug.

"It's been six long weeks since I last spoke with your dad. This is the hardest thing I have ever done. Knowing that if we are successful. That if, no when, we bring him down, I will have the life I've always wanted with your father. It's the only thing that keeps me going. That is keeping me sane. But, you have to promise me that you will not come back here and we will not speak until this is over. You have to go back home and bitch, gripe and complain about me being a horrible woman. Do you understand? Can you do that for us?"

"Yes. Grams is giving me acting lessons," she said through a smirk. "I hate that you have to do this. But I understand." She waits a moment, then admits, "You're my hero, Kate."

"Trying to make me cry?"

"Am I succeeding?"

"Well, we are in a cemetery." She smiles through her tears and takes Alexis' hand, leading her back to the front gates. "Did you fly in?"

"Yes."

"Well, time to get you safely back to the airport. And when you get home, tell your father he is my forever and always."


End file.
